Ten miles, here I come!
My morning started at 6 am which is super early for me. Allison and her housemate Allison met me at the second street subway as we headed over to the starting line.
Over on the Broad Street line, the subway was PACKED with runners getting ready to start the race!
About 30,000 people participated in this ten mile run down Broad Street. Organizers had to accommodate all those runners. Check out the port-o-potty lines!
I caught up with Isaac at the starting line, who was also participating in the run.
And I was a little nervous!
Here we are just before the gun goes off:
Looking up towards the start line:
And we’re off and running!
I ran into a bunch of people I knew at the race… and some that I didn’t, but they caught my attention.
My former trainer Colleen was there. It was so great to see her! I remember years ago she tried to get me running and it was so very difficult for me. She would ride her bike next to me and I’d ask her to slow down but she would just tell me to keep up. I finally figured out how to run and it was awesome she could be there with me (for five seconds at least, until she blew past me because she runs much faster than I do).
Running is such an individual challenge. The training tends to be solo. I run by myself with headphones on. I have to schedule running in my week and add more and more mileage in order to ensure that I’ll get through the race safely. That’s one of the reasons why for me, a big race like this is so exciting! Everyone is running together, knowing what we have all been going through on our own for several months. It’s nice. It’s really cool to run with a gigantic group of people who I assume have individually been through what I have been through to train for this… and we’re all in it together, now!
Anyway, also at the race was my friend Mike:
Jillian:
…and Batman!!!! (I can’t believe he ran like that in the 90 degree heat! Crazy!)
Allison and I kept losing each other then catching up to each other. Here she is in the middle of the crowd in the green top:
The halfway point was City Hall.
In my training, I run a 7-mile loop through South Philly. On nice days there’s this old local man who sits on a bench around 13th and Snyder and always yells, “You can do it!” as I run by. He’s my guy. I expect to see him when I run. (Him and this other guy around 7th and Snyder that always high fives me and says, “My friend! How are you? Good job!” as I run by.)
Anyway, I thought of him when I saw these guys holding this sign. I was thinking, “Yes! I CAN do this!”
In the last 4 miles, the sideline crowds got bigger and bigger. The kids at the water stations get more and more creative, too. St. Basil’s Academy had a runner’s water station in which the girls dressed up as superheroes. I thought that was awesome. Apparently, there are prizes for the best water station along the route. They were my favorite.
Here I am in the final mile. Hot, sweaty and feeling awesome!
Almost done…
And after two hours and six minutes of straight running I finally cross the finish line!!!!
Isaac, who finished in less than an hour and half waited for me and also met me at the end. He’s squirming because as we took this photo he told not to get too close, so I decided to give him a big sweaty hug.
Great job, little bro — and I’m quite proud of myself, too. What a fun day!
May 4, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Congratulations on the Broad Street Run! I’m so impressed and proud of you. I’ve had the flu this past week, but I’m a lot better now. I’ve been staying at David’s (we think we caught the flu on his flights back from Asia).
Love,
Grace